Box Score HACKENSACK, N.J. – The men's basketball game held between NCAA Division-I Fairleigh Dickinson University and Division-II Felician College on Tuesday night was technically an exhibition contest. But it contained many of the elements of a game held in early March, rather than early November.
An enthusiastic Stratis Arena crowd watched a pair of teams go at each other with mid-season intensity. The Knights and Golden Falcons traded the lead 22 times, and were tied on 18 occasions. In the end, Felician fell just short of knocking off its higher-classified hosts. A three-point field goal by senior guard Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) with 3.2 seconds to play lifted FDU to a 77-76 victory.
Jones (8-13 FG, 5-8 3FG) led five Knight scorers in double figures with a game-high 23 points in 20 minutes. Junior Lamine Cooper (Willingboro, N.J./Medford Tech) (4-5 3FG, 10-10 FT) scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds for Felician.
Neither team led by more than six points for the night, nor by more than four in the second half. FDU graduate student Darius Stokes (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) split a pair of free throws at the 0:49 mark to knot the score for the 18th time, 74-74. On Felician's next possession, Damiun Moore (Manchester, N.J./Manchester Township) drew a defender and found teammate Jeyvi Miavivululu (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Catholic) on the left block. Miavivululu rose for a dunk, was fouled and canned both free throws.
The Golden Falcons defended Jones tightly as the Knights brought the ball upcourt. He received a pass at the top of the key about 22 feet from the basket, but Moore was able to make him give the ball up. When Jones was once again fed by Darian Anderson (Washington, D.C./St. John's College HS), Moore and Cooper forced him to alter his shot. But with Cooper's hand squarely in front of his face, Jones swished a trifecta at 0:03.2
After both teams called a timeout, Felician made the most of the time remaining. A baseball pass by Will Thompson (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) found Miavivululu past the center line. Miavivululu immediately sent a diagonal look to Tim Massado (Wilmington, Del/St. Elizabeth), hitting the sophomore in stride just outside the three-point arc. Massado's offering from the left side was in time, but clanged harmlessly off of the back-rim.
Senior J.R. Pringley (Elizabeth, N.J./Linden) finished with 14 points and seven rebounds for the Golden Falcons, and Miavivululu scored 13 points with five boards. FDU received 14 points from sophomore guard Matt McDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius).
